Game



T. DE LORENZO GAME March 11, 1941.

Fi1ed Jan. 29, 1940 Patented Mar. 11, 1941 Y p UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEV 5 Claims.

This invention relates to games and particularly to a, parlor game for' two players consisting of a rectangular game board having side walls and a goal at one end and a rotatable spinning ring near its opposite end on a division line extending transversely of the upper face of said board, and through which a playing ball is adaptedto be projected.

One object of the invention is to provide said spinning ring with suitable markings on the front face thereof, indicating the correct side through which the playing ball should be pro- .lected.

Another object of the invention is to provide two balls of different colors, one for each player, whereby each player may recognize his own ball wherever it may be positioned on the game board.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby these playing balls may be projected toward the head of the game board in an effort to pass them through the spinning ring.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means whereby the spinning ring may be rotated about its vertical axis sothat when it comes to rest the front side thereof may face in most any direction, thereby complicating the playing of the game.

These objects are all accomplished by the instrumentalities illustrated in the accompanying drawing. 1 For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one. preferred form, thereof is illustrated in the drawing, this form having been found to give satisfactory and Vreliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and, organized, and the invention is not limited to the kprecise arrangement and organizationofthese instrumentalities as herein shown and described except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

Ofthe drawing:V

Figure 1 represents a game board embodying the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 represents a section of a portion of the same on line 2, 2 on Fig. 1 and drawn to an enlarged scale', showing the means of supporting aspinning ring'on said board.

Figure'S represents a modified form ofthe means for supporting the spinning ring.

Figure 4 represents another'modied form of means for supporting the spinning ring.

Figure represents an elevation of one of the balls used in playing the game.

Figure 6 represents a detail of the side walls of the game board and showing a rubber cushion on the inner face thereof, and

Figure '7 represents a cue or similar device which may be used in propelling the playing ball.

Similar characters indicate like parts through- 5' out the several figures of the drawing.

In the drawing, Ill represents a flat game .board having side and end walls I I extending upwardly therefrom.

On the under side of the game board I0 are 10 a plurality of supports I2 shown only in dotted lines, these supports preferably being of' rubber or some other resilient material whereby the board may be supported on a dining room table without scratching or marring the same.

The inner face of each side and end wall II f may have secured thereto a resilient cushion I3 similar to that used in any billiard table.A

Near the rear end of the board I0 is a division line I4, the object of which will be hereinafter 20 explained. K

Near the forwardend of the game board IB is a goal line I5 and on this line are two separated goal markers I6.

Two balls I1 are used in playing-the game, 25 these balls being of different colors.

In playing the game these balls I'I may .be propelled along said board I0 by means of a cue I8 or some similar device.

Centrally disposed onA the division line I4 is 30 a socket I3 adapted to receivev the shank I9 on a metal ring 20.

This shank I9 is freely revoluble in the socket 'ilhe front face of the ring 20 is provided with 35 distinguishing markings such as the crosses 2l, while the rear face of the ring has 4 no such markings.

The socket I 8 may be' formed in the flanged member 22 nailed to the under side of the game o board Ill, as indicated at 23, in Fig. 2.

The board I0, however, mayhave a cylindrical opening 24 therein as shown in Fig. 4, in which opening is positioned a tubular member 25 having projections 26 thereon extending into the board I0 to prevent the rotation of said tubular member.

The inner wall of this tubular member 25 forms a socket I8 to receive the shank I9 of the ring 20.'

In Fig. 3 is shown another modication of lthe 50 means for supporting the ring 20. y

In this construction a plate 21 provided with projections 28 on the under face thereof is forced into a depression 29 in the upper face of the board Il), and the base portion 30 vof the ring 55 20 is provided with annular grooves 3| in which are disposed balls 32.

The ringZU is retained in position on the board I0 by means of the cylindrical member 33 having a reduced projection 34 threaded to said board, the upper end of the cylindrical member 33 having a head 35 preventing the displacement of said ring.

Around the shank I9 of the spinning ring 2,0, the upper face of the board l0 is chamfered olf as indicated at 36 in Fig. 1, thereby providing means whereby the ring 20 may freely rotate about its axis during the playing of the game.

Each playing ball Il has a diameter consider-I ably less than the diameter of the inner wall of the spinning ring 2U. f

When the game is being played it is desired that the ball I1 may freely pass through the ring 20 and consequently the inner wall of f said ring 20 has a attened portion 31 in the same plane as the upper face of the board l0.

The game usually is played by two players, one player taking a ball Il of one color, while the other player takes a ball having a different color, so that during the game each player knows his own ball wherever it may be on the game board. p

In playing the game the spinning ring 20 isrst positioned with its front or marked face facing toward the goal.

The players during the starting of the game are at the forward end of the game board and propel the balls toward the spinning ring 20.

The first player rolls his: ball by hand toward the spinning ring 20 for position, but the ball must cross the division line I4, or'touch the spinning ring 20. Failing to do this, he must make a fresh start.

After the ball of the rst player comes to rest, the vsecond player rolls his ball at will. If the ball at this time passes through the ring, it would not count a point toward game.

After each player has rolled his ball, the game really commences by each player using a cue to propel the ball.

If the spinning ring has been rotated by being hit by a propelled ball of the first player, and the ball of the second player passes through the ring from the back side thereof, the passage of the ball in this direction is what, in the game, is called a Witch and the player scores a penalty.

When the player has a penalty due to passing the ball through the ring from the rear side thereof, he cannot receive any further points in the game until he has removed this penalty by causing his ball to pass correctly through the ring 29 from the front side.

The game can be played continuously, or can be started over again everytime a player scores, until twelve points are scored. The player' first making twelve points wins the game.

The game proceeds by each player endeavoring to put his ball in position to score, and furthermore, each player endeavors to disturb the cpponents ball or the ring in order to prevent him from scoring by passing the ball correctly through the ring.

If the ball of either player comes to rest in a position where it would be easy for him in his next play to correctly force the ball through the spinning ring, the other player endeavors to hit the ball and move it out of position.

If the spinning ring 20 comes to rest with its front marked face toward the rear of the game board, a player may endeavor, by means of a carom shot, to hit a side wall, changing the direction of a ball so that it will pass correctly through the ring.

In the playing of a gaine, a hit counts two points, and is only made when a player hits the opponents ball and then crosses the goal line l5. A hit can only be made when the balls are at least one foot apart, when one ball is propelled in the direction of the other ball.

Three points can be scored at one time by making a hit and at the same time passing the ball through the right side of the ring.

As has been heretofore stated, either of the players passing the ball through the wrong side of the ring 20, scores as a witch or penalty, and the penalty must be removed before he can score again.

The only way the penalty can be removed is by a player passing a ball through the right side of the ring. In doing this, no point is made, the passing of the ball through the right side of the ring simply removing the witch or penalty, after which the player is free to score again.

If a player can cause his ball to hit an opponents ball and pass it through the Wrong side of ring 20, it is advantageous because the player Whose ball has been hit is penalized and the penalty must be removed before he can score again.

In playing the game, it is sometimes very desirable for one player to note where the ball of the other player is and then endeavor to hit the side of the spinning ring and cause it to rotate into a position where it would be almost impossible for the other player to pass his ball through the right side of the ring.

As the gam'e continues, each player takes his turn, always making moves either to have his own ball pass correctly through the spinning ring or trying to make a hit by hitting the opponents ball and causing his own ball to pass throilusgh the goal line I5 between the goal markers No count is made when the ball passes over the goal line I5 between a goal marker I6 and a side wall Il.

The game is divided into periods and each period ends as a hit is made or a ringer is made, the ringer consisting in passing the ball correctly through the spinning ring. After each period the players start over again as previously described.

In the next period, the player that makes a point or points, plays first and the balls must not be touched by hand imtil a player scores.

The boards may be of any size either for use on dining room tables or a billiard table may be utilized by providing the necessary goal lines at one end of the board, and providing means for positioning the spinning ring at a point near the opposite end of the board.

When a propelled ball hits the side of the spinning ring 20 it will cause the ring to rotate about its axis and it will be necessary to wait until the ring comes to rest before the game can continue.

When the ring is spun around its axis as just described, there is no knowing just where it will stop. Its front face may be towards one of the side walls, one of the end walls, or at an angle to these Walls.

In view of this fact the game may be made very interesting and amusing, as under such conditions it requires considerable skill to direct the playing ball so it will pass through the ring from the front side thereof. The game may be played by tWo teams, each team using the same ball.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the invention Will be understood without further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a at rectangular game board having side Walls surrounding the edges thereof, a spinning ring vertically mounted on edge near one end thereof and revoluble about a vertical axis, the opening in said ring being so constructed and arranged as to permit the passage therethrough of a playball propelled over the surface of said board.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, in which the inner surface of the ring has a attened portion in the same plane as the upper Vface of the game board.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1, in Which said ring is provided with a cylindrical Ish-ank radi-ating from its periphery and said board is provided with a vertical socket to receive said shank.

4. The combination as-set forth in claim 1, in which said ring is provided with a cylindrical shank radiating from its periphery and said board is provided with a vertical socket to receive said shank, said socket having at its lower end a ange secured to the under side of said board.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1, in which the periphery of the ring is provided With a cylindrical base, a cylindrical plate set into the upper face of the board, anti-friction members between said base and plate, and a headed cylindrical member extending through the center of said base and secured at its lowest end to said board.

THOMAS DE LORENZO. 

